Officials confirm that a teen who suffered an allergic reaction to something he ate at Walmart on Tuesday, Aug. 16, died the following day at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

"Fifteen-year-old old Jahrell Dillard, of Lawrenceville, was at the Walmart in Loganville Tuesday when he picked up a cookie and took a bite," said Detective David Hunt of the Loganville Police Department. "The cookie contained peanuts and, having a history of allergies to peanuts, he went into anaphylatic shock and succumbed to the effects."

So so sad. Teens are the highest risk group for fatal reactions. This is a wake up call for all of us. Please, sit your child down and tell them, they are too important to lose! They must carry their auto-injector at all times. Talk ab...out the reasons why they might not want to. Encourage them to talk about it with other teens who also have severe/anaphylaxis allergies ( www.whyriskit.ca ). Find a suitable way for them to carry it but carry it they must!
I don't ever want to read about another young life lost!

Jharell was shopping at the Loganville Wal Mart with his mother and sisters Tuesday night, and he went out to the car to get one of the cookies his aunt had given them when they stopped at her house just before they drove to the store.

Charles Dillard said the cookies were not home-made, they were store-bought cookies, and he thinks Jharell's aunt had simply mixed up the cookies accidentally with some that contained nuts. Jharell is allergic to nuts.

"She pulled out some chocolate chip, and I guess she pulled out some out of another bag that she thought were chocolate chip, as well. She gave them to him as chocolate chip. And that's why he ate them, because he believed they were chocolate chip cookies."

Jharell immediately had a reaction. Medication that had helped him before wasn't helping. His mom called 911. He went into anaphylactic shock.

This is so tragic... my heart breaks for this family. I watched the video, and another related video http://www.star94.com/info2go/Story.aspx?ID=1524831 and I'm wondering what the "Medication that had helped him before" was. Was it the Epipen, or something else? It may be that because he went out to the car, and was alone, even if he received the Epipen, it may not have been administered right away. So tragic and his father is so brave to share his story.

It seems that too many people use an antihistamine when they should use an epi-pen. Could differences in health care explain some of that? We always own at least 3 epi-pens but the majority of the cost is covered by our extended medical.

Or is it that people don't think it is serious enough to use the epi-pen? Definitely been there done that but the one time that my daughter's throat was closing thankfully I grabbed the epi-pen although it still did take us a few minutes to decide to use it .

Many people seem to think that they can wait a while to see if worsens and then use the epi-pen; my understanding is that an anaphylactic reaction can quickly worsen and that the epi-pen is best used immediately.

My teen is 15 and got extra hugs from me today...

_________________me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental

It seems that too many people use an antihistamine when they should use an epi-pen. Could differences in health care explain some of that? We always own at least 3 epi-pens but the majority of the cost is covered by our extended medical.

Or is it that people don't think it is serious enough to use the epi-pen? Definitely been there done that but the one time that my daughter's throat was closing thankfully I grabbed the epi-pen although it still did take us a few minutes to decide to use it .

Many people seem to think that they can wait a while to see if worsens and then use the epi-pen; my understanding is that an anaphylactic reaction can quickly worsen and that the epi-pen is best used immediately.

This is so tragic... my heart breaks for this family. I watched the video, and another related video http://www.star94.com/info2go/Story.aspx?ID=1524831 and I'm wondering what the "Medication that had helped him before" was. Was it the Epipen, or something else? It may be that because he went out to the car, and was alone, even if he received the Epipen, it may not have been administered right away. So tragic and his father is so brave to share his story.

I'll try to find the link I saw this am. It said he did not have his epipen with him because he was so diligent at avoiding allergens. The way the father speaks, I believe he had no idea that a reaction can be so swift. Not everyone is given good information.

My heart breaks for them. Regardless of how or why he died, they should be very proud of this fine young man. Graduation next year at the age of 16 and planning to go to college! He sounds wonderful.

Through his death, he will help to save many lives, his organs will help others, he will serve as the inspiration for others to donate organs and others in the allergic community will be reminded that they must always carry their auto-injectors!!

When he realized the cookie contained nuts, Jharell ran to a nearby McDonald's, where he tried to rinse his mouth out, his father said. The teen also took an over-the-counter allergy medication, but the reaction continued. A family member called 911 and Jharell was transported to the hospital, but it was too late.

Jharell, who was in the 11th grade at Central Gwinnett High School, normally didn't carry an injection of epinephrine, known by the brand name EpiPen, because he was aware of his allergy and generally cautious.

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